


His Demons, Her Sacrifice

by BreenieLee



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 12:07:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13501382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreenieLee/pseuds/BreenieLee
Summary: Raven's life is slowly spiraling into chaos and damnation. She's having nightmares and horrid visions during the day. She can barely function, let alone work as a Titan anymore. With Trigon's unbeatable power and Slade's mysterious and threatening presence, Raven must choose what is the best course of action to save everyone ... to save him. Will contain BBRae and RobStar- Enjoy!:)





	1. His Demons, Her Sacrifice

Raven was slowly descending into insanity and chaos. Her inner demons were slowly becoming apparent as the marks on her body glowed a vibrant red. The marks of Trigon seared her ashen skin. Raven stood on the roof of Titan’s Tower. She was uncontrollably shaking from a mix of adrenaline and pure horror. The dark clouds above her danced in the sky creating a light show accompanied by thunderous booms. Rain was starting to pour down and she could almost hear each drop as it landed on her burning skin. Raven knew this day would arrive sooner or later. She knew that her sacrifice would save everyone, it would save him.  
Fiery explosions erupted from the lower levels of the tower, and Raven took a deep breath in unison with another blast. She couldn’t let Trigon take over, she wouldn’t allow that to happen.  
The sorceress tilted her head back and allowed the rain to melt her face. It almost soothed her. Her final moments breathing in the fresh air from the earth. Her home.  
The shaking empath breathed in one more lungful of air, the smoke and rain almost invisible now. Raven started to sway on her feet as the marks on her skin burned brighter now. Raven started to sway on her feet as the marks radiating from her skin burned brighter. A sharp pain behind her chakra stone snapped her back to reality. The ground below began to tremble almost as much as her clenched fists. The earth below began to split, and the waves of the river erupted as a horned demon began to rise out of the water.  
“It’s time now Rae, you can do this,” Raven’s voice was barely a whisper.  
The sounds permeating from the splitting earth crescendoed louder and louder as the beast escaped from between the cracks.  
“Daughter…” a voice boomed Raven bit her lep and steadied herself. Goose bumps trailed up her burning arms as she took a step forward towards her destiny. The empath’s shoulders no longer shook. Raven inhaled a steady breath and her mind was determined.  
“Fight me asshole.” Raven spared a single glance back towards the closed rooftop door.  
“Goodbye guys…” she took another step. “See you later.” Raven’s heartbeat was loud in her ears while her leg dangled precariously from the edge of the tower.  
As if in slow motion her body allowed one more step. This step initiated her free fall towards her destiny.  
Ash and smoke assaulted her face during her descent. The wind which blew through her violet hair was cold, and this contrasted with the burning heat of the smoke which caressed her burning cheeks. The empath began to feel tears accumulating in her worn and heavy eyes.  
“Raven! No!” Garfield’s voice was loud and pierced through her mind. Although she didn’t see him, the sorceress felt her heartbeat beat in harmony with the erratic pounding of the changeling’s. He shouldn’t be here. There’s no way.  
Raven looked up as she fell; a blur of green was following close behind her.  
“Garfield! Stop!” 

~~~

“Rae?” Even though his voice was gentle, his nervousness made Raven’s stomach turn.  
The sorceress was lying still in a hospital bed, an erratic beeping noise ringing in her ears.  
Garfield was towering over the Empath’s small form. His emerald skin and mossy hair were bedazzled with beads of sweat and blossoming bruises. Garfield leaned closer when a small groan escaped from Raven’s cracked and pale lips.  
Raven felt her heartbeat almost immediately sync with the Changeling’s. The middle of her forehead, right beneath her glowing chakra stone throbbed with every forced heartbeath. Another groan formed in her chest when the empath attempted to open her eyes.  
The bright hospital lights seeped in through her tangle of eyelashes. Suddenly, realization hit her.  
As if by instinct, Raven’s stomach clenched and her hands formed fists at her sides, grabbing onto the hospital sheets.  
“Stop!” Her hoarse voice cried out. Raven’s eyes snapped open, and the heart rate monitor blared in protest.  
Raven sat up so fast that Beast Boy almost didn’t have enough time to shift backwards.  
“Hey there, easy Rae” Garfield cooed as he slowly raised his gloved hands. They shook slightly as Raven eyed the boy.  
Her wild, watery eyes started to gain composure as Beast Boy lowered his hands.  
Raven’s brow furrowed as she tried to calm her stuttering breath. The pounding in her ears quickly crescendoed as she recalled what had just happened.  
The fire. Her father. Beast B-  
Her eyes focused on two,, glowing green orbs. Raven’s hands still clasped to the bedsheets as rage began to boil under her skin and in her mind.  
Raven opened her mouth to speak, feeling her dried lips crack in the process.  
“What the hell was that Garfield?” Beastboy visibly flinched at the sound of his other name. The epath tried to conceal and conquer her boiling anger through clenched teeth.  
He wasn’t supposed to follow. She was supposed to go alone. It was her responsibility, not his-  
“Rae what are you-” Beast Boy’s voice was smooth yet cemented as Raven interrupted him.  
Her skin burned, the phantom pain from her seared skin made Raven even more livid.  
“I told you not to follow me. I told you to hide. What. Did. You. Do.”  
Her heartbeat that was reflected in the monitor was almost silent as the two team mates stared at eachother. The sorceress’ dark magic began to swirl through her veins. She felt the ebb and flow of the energy through her limbs. Her lip twitched.  
“Raven, you gotta calm down now.” Beast Boy’s voice became higher in pitched and he raised his hands, bloody palms facing towards her.  
“Me calm down? Now why’s that Garfield? You could have died!”  
The sudden increase in volume of her voice caused a fluorescent lightbulb above them to shatter. Pieces of glass rained down on the two.  
Raven then caught a glimpse of her reflection on one of the pieces as it sliced the top of Beast Boy’s forehead. Her glowing ruby eyes matched the red that formed on Beast’s skin.  
“This is why Raven.” Beastboy smeared the crimson on his forehead with the back of his hand.  
Finding her center, Raven took a deep breath through her nose, never shifting her gaze away from the Changling’s face.  
“Good Rae, just breath yeah?” Garfield seemingly loosened his tense posture. Shards of glass jingled almost like a windchime in a pool on the bed.  
“What exactly happened Beast Boy?” Raven’s voice was flat now, her shoulders started to visibly relax as she tried to search through her memory for what happened.  
Trigon didn't win, did he? She was still alive, how could they have won when her life was spared?  
Raven’s face started to get hot, her cheeks burned, and her head hummed.  
“...Slade. And then I found you unconscious Rae!” Beastboy was getting more animated and anxious as he continued. The mention of Slade’s infamy caught Raven mid-gasping breath.  
“Slade? What about Slade?” He couldn’t have been at the tower, could he? Raven leaned slowly back into the pillows behind her; her muscles screamed in protest. Garfield’s once scrunched face turned sollom, and crease-less.  
“Raven, we don't know what Slade did, but he hurt you… badly.” Garfield’s lip started to curl as a growl rose in his chest. Raven felt the anxiety and pure torture swirl through Beast Boy.  
“A few nights ago when we tried to capture him,” his voice was getting softer as he lowered his gaze. “He disappeared. But not without taking you with him.”  
No matter how hard Raven tried to conceal it, her mouth opened slightly in shock. Raven folded her blue hands in her lap, her fingers were practically icicles.  
“I do not recall such events.” Raven deadpanned. Confusion and knowledge flowed through Beastboy. “I only found you because you were screaming before you fell unconscious.”  
What…?  
“I see.”  
Raven was barely able to digest his story. She dissected his words phrase by phrase, but found no recollection in his story.  
“What exactly happened to me Garfield?”  
His elf ears drooped as he closed his dampened eyes.  
“You’ve been in one of your meditative comas for the past two days Raven. It looks like most of your physical injuries have been healed, but… I don’t know. I have no idea what he did to you or why-...” He shook his head.  
Raven’s amethyst eyes were trained on the boy, “Is the Tower safe? Anyone else hurt? Anything… unusual happen Garfield?” Raven’s voice was mellow and smooth, but very constricted. It almost sounded like she was choking on her words.  
“Raven, we’re fine…” Beasboy sounded agitated, and the aura around him swirled red with annoyance and frustration. “You were the one who was hurt. Not me… u-us.”  
Raven’s purple locks were matted to her face, and her eyes focused unconsciously on the frayed and torn grey gloves BeastBoy adorned. Her eyes couldn't look away from the smear of red on his knuckles.  
Beastboy started to rub his hands together to distract himself from the anxiety swelling his his stomach. Raven noticed the sudden flux of energy, and she dreaded what was to come next.  
“Raven, who was I hiding from?”  
So Slade’s behind this? Raven began to herself. I know I’ve been beaten up pretty badly before, but what could have possibly caused me to fall unconscious? The empath scrunched her brows ever so slightly, and she bit her lip. Something’s not right.  
“Nothing Garfield. Like you said, everything’s fine.”  
That was when Raven could physically feel the distress in Garfield. A surge of energy slammed in her head- her head felt like it would split in half.  
“Everything is NOT FINE Raven!” Beastboy’s fury caused the green creature to finally stand up, the shards of glass shattering into smaller pieces on the tile floor. “For the past three freaking days you have been screaming bloody murder… and guess what Raven! You were UNCONSCIOUS and all glowy-glowy so we couldn’t wake you up! It was torture dude!” His voice cracked, the strain causing a light vein to grow in his forehead.  
Just as Beastboy took another breath in, a light beeping noise caused both heads to turn expectantly towards the door.  
“Looks like somebody’s awake!” Cyborg’s booming voice echoed in the empty room, his metallic shoes clanked on the floor every time he took a step closer to Raven. “I heard all the commotion and didn’t want to miss the party!” Cyborg’s nonchalance and positive energy radiated from his metal being and soothed both Raven, and his little green friend.  
“Naw dude, the party hasn’t even started yet.” Beastboy’s voice was very flat, both mixed with a hint of sarcasm, and dashed with a bit of sadness.  
Raven looked at Garfield, his emerald hair stuck in any direction possible, and his clothes were decorated with the finest dirt and mud Jump City could offer. What about him… is he okay?  
“Alright folks, enough googley eyes at eachother - string bean, ya’ll need a shower, ‘cuz you stink dude.” Cyborg pinched his nose as if to make fun of the Beast’s odor.  
Sighing, Beast Boy gave a last glance at Raven over his shoulder.  
“Are you gonna be okay.?” His ruffled eyebrow raised, a small smile forming on his lips.  
“Yeah Beast Boy,” Raven sighed “I’m fine.”  
With a small nod of acceptance and a little grunt in acknowledgement, Beastboy stalked out of the room. As Cyborg drew closer, Raven realized that indeed, things were not going to be fine.


	2. His Decision

“Stop resisting Raven; you’ll only make things worse.” The man’s voice purred with satisfaction as he twisted the empath’s wrists even more. Panic coursed through her veins as Raven tried to squirm free from the masked man’s grip. A small moan escaped from her clenched teeth.  
Gravel and concrete pierced her skin as the man crushed her from above. Her heaving breaths were being accompanied by stars that danced across her vision.  
“Get . . . off . . .” Each breath she took sent a shockwave of pain through her ribs as Slade’s kneecap pressed harder against her spine. Panic coursed through her veins as the man trapped her from above.  
The man leaned in closer, his mask inches from her pale ear.  
“Now listen, little girl. I’m usually a quite patient man; but this little act of yours is going to stop.”  
The man slowly lifted his knee slightly, and the sorceress felt a shudder trail down her spine.  
“If you won’t submit voluntarily, I’ll make this very, very painful child.” Her body ached and her head pounded loudly.  
“Tick tock princess…” his voice trailed.  
As she tried to lift her head, a hard, leather glove connected with the back of her head and forced her face onto the sidewalk.  
~~~~  
“Hey, Rae?” Beast Boy’s voice croaked from behind her locked bedroom door. The sorceress sat upright in her bed- sweat created diamonds on her forehead and her breaths came in ragged gasps.  
The pain behind her chakra stone thumped harder as she tried to open her swollen eyes.  
“N-Not now…” she growled. A candle that she had lit just hours before flickered with light, and it casted deep shadows on her sunken facial features. The panic in her stomach swirled with each flicker of the dying candle.  
It was still nighttime, the moon’s white glow illuminated her room ever-so-slightly and she was able to see the glowing outlines of the books that scattered her floor.  
Three gentle knocks on her door made the empath’s brow furrow.  
“Raven, are you awake?”  
Whatever contents that were in the empath’s stomach began to turn and panic gnawed at her sides.  
Calm yourself dammit. Raven thought to herself.  
Slowly, and painfully the empath raised a hand and wiped the sweat that had formed on her face. Her body ached, even from a dream she felt defeated. She brought both hands to her head and tousled her hair, slowly running her fingers through her damp locks.  
Careful as not to lose control over her gag reflex, Raven inhaled a deep breath and felt herself exhale some of the chaotic energy she had just woke with.  
Padding softly to her door, she raised a slightly - trembling hand to the door’s release button.  
The sudden swoosh of the door opening caused Beast Boy to jump visibly, and his ears then drooped in time with his frown.  
“I am now Beast Boy. What do you want?” Raven’s voice was smooth; it didn’t even begin to reflect the panic and confusion coursing through her veins and her pounding heart.  
Beast Boy’s emerald eyes widened. The fluorescent bulbs in Titan’s Tower didn’t help much, but Beast’s eyes trained on Raven’s ghostly features. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. Fading sweat spots stained her leotard she wore, her cape barely covered her midsection.  
Beast Boy’s breath caught in his throat as he ran a hand through his forest hair. “What’s going on Raven?”  
The panic that was gnawing inside of Raven was slowly burning into a deep rooted sense of irritation and anger. Her amethyst eyes narrowed on the changeling. “You mean other than the fact that you decided to stand outside my bedroom door at one in the morning? Absolutely nothing.” The empath felt the pain and sadness radiate from Beast Boy. She didn’t mean to be so curt, but hell, couldn’t she just be left alone?  
“Bull, Raven.” It was his turn to feel irritated. Beast Boy took a step forward and his face gradually moved closer to Raven’s. His hands became small fists at his sides and his ears perked up. “You’re lucky your room isn’t closer to Robin’s. He would have burst in through your door without warning.” His voice became very quiet and grave. “You were screaming again.”  
The sorceress’ eyes burned into Beast Boy’s. She began to shake again as both her and the changeling’s emotions swirled through her conscious. The pain in her head became unbearable, and her stomach threatened to turn itself inside out.  
“G-Go back to your room Beast Boy.” She stuttered through clenched teeth.  
Beast Boy crossed his arms over his uniformed chest. “Not until you tell me what the hell is going on with you Raven.”  
“I’m f - ” Before she was able to form a coherent response, her body made the next decision for her.  
Without looking back, the empath bolted down the corridor towards the girl’s lavatory. With sweaty palms and a pounding migraine, she forced open the bathroom door and barely made it to the toilet bowl before her stomach erupted.  
Her burning hands gripped the sides of the bowl tight enough to make her already ashen knuckles whiter.  
An inhuman noise escaped from her lips in between dry heaves. Tears prickled her eyes as she cried in frustration. This wasn’t the first, or second, or even third time this has happened; to her, it seemed these dreams were getting worse and worse as the week progressed.  
A pair of cool, green hands appeared from behind her and brushed her hair out of her face, and around her shoulders.  
“You’re okay Rae.” His voice was smooth as a sigh escaped his lips. She heaved again.  
Raven’s heartbeat pounded loud in her ears- each heartbeat was like the strike of a bass drum which only caused her to feel even more nauseous.  
It had been already been six days since she had woken up in the infirmary. Every night had been a new, tortuous experience; always stemming from an uninviting nightmare.  
The cool hands disappeared slightly from Raven’s shoulders only to return with a damp washcloth- courtesy of the changeling. Raven closed her eyes and rested her chin atop the side of the toilet seat as the rag was draped around the back of her neck.  
Robin had given direct orders to her - she would not fight with the Titans until at least a week had passed since she’d woken up. An order she, of course, did not want to accept. After numerous fights and few choice words with the leader, Raven gave up and agreed to the seven day ban. Tomorrow, today, marked the seventh day.  
The empath’s stomach finally felt empty after a few more failed attempts, and she let out a long, shaky sigh.  
During the day, she hadn’t had many problems functioning as a normal person. She meditated like usual, ate meals with the Titans, and even was able to deal with Starfire’s incessant need for “in-home spa-treatments.”  
It was when the sun set that the sorceress truly felt inhuman. Alone. Scared even.  
A slow shiver trickled down her spine. No one had been able to tell her what happened with Slade, and this only made things worse. The physical pain and struggle that the empath had been enduring every night was taking it’s toll on her health.  
The headaches, the dreams, these feelings … why?  
A small whimper almost escaped her lips, but was halted by Beast Boy clearing his throat.  
“Look Raven, I think you should sit tomorrow-er- today out.” Beast Boy kneeled down on one knee next to the empath, and he placed a gloved hand on her shoulder after tossing the rag in the sink. “I know it’s been a week, but like, you’re not looking too hot. You’re gonna get hurt. Worse.”  
Raven turned her head toward the green changeling and pierced his soul with her stare.  
“I’m fine Beast Boy.” She brushed her pale hand against his green one and knocked his hand off of her shoulder. She sighed. “Let me get some sleep, and I’ll be as good as new in the morning.”  
Beast Boy scoffed when she said “fine.”  
“You think waking up every night screaming and puking your brains out is ‘fine?’ You need some new priorities momma.” He smirked and shook his head at the craziness he was hearing.  
Raven did not like being told what to do, or how to think.  
“I’m going Garfield. I need to get out of here.” Her voice was solid and caused Beast to reevaluate the situation.  
Escape. Normalcy. Raven had a painful yearning in her stomach for things to become normal again.  
With an exasperated groan, Beast Boy sat down on the tile floor and wrapped his arms around his knees. Raven followed suit and sat across from him. His head was shaking back and forth and his lips were set in a straight line - a small white tooth poked through.  
“Listen, if I start to feel worse, or if I truly believe I need to, I’ll quit the mission. I’ll come back to the Tower if needed. Please Garfield; I need to get out.”  
“Raven, I can’t have you get hurt again. I can’t let you do that to yourself. I don’t know wh-”  
A flashing red light and high-pitched screaming alarm caused both heroes’ heads to spin towards the door.  
“Shit-”  
Beast Boy’s communicator began buzzing. Both sets of eyes trailed down to the face which appeared on the screen.  
“Titans: there was a kidnapping in Jump City’s Pediatric Hospital.” Raven bit her tongue as Beast Boy stared in shock. “The girl’s mother reported a man in a mask with glowing tattoos stole her daughter from their hospital room. This is the closest we’ve come to an affirmation of Slade’s whereabouts!” Robin’s voice became louder until it was almost a yell. “The pre-determined mission will be postponed until this is settled. We’re leaving now. Cy and Star search the building, Beast Boy and Raven, you take to the streets. We can’t lose ‘em. I’ll talk with the witnesses there. Keep your communicators close.  
Titans, GO!”  
“Fucking hell-” The changeling’s temper flared as he slammed his communicator on the tiled floor. A crack appeared across Robin’s hologrammed face before it faded to black. Beast Boy ran his hands through his hair and his face contorted in pain. “This can’t be happening…” He just sat on the floor and slowly rubbed his eyes with the palms of his worn gloves.  
“Garfield…” Raven’s voice purred; a hint of true worry seeped into her tone. The changeling’s emotions, fear and anger permeated into Raven’s mind.  
“Listen. Stay close to me when we get there. Do not over-do it Raven. If anything happens, or if things get squirly, teleport back here. You got it?”  
Raven’s mouth parted slightly and the anticipation and adrenaline coursed through her veins once more. Her head nodded slowly.  
“I’m serious Raven. I will not have anything happen to you again. Got it?”  
His seriousness scared her a little.  
“I’ll be fine Gar.”  
“Yeah, Rae. You keep saying that…”


	3. Her Decision Pt. 1

“Remember, if anything happens, get out.” Beast Boy’s usual quirkiness was masqueraded by his anxiety for the sorceress’ well-being.  
The two teenage heroes stood on the roof of Titan's Tower. The moon was almost full, and its white light illuminated the two marbled faces.  
Fear swirled between them.  
“Beast Boy, stop pacing. You’re giving me a headache.” The empath clenched and unclenched her fists. Her nausea had subsided, but her sore muscles and shaking hands still remained and haunted her from the nightmare that happened barely an hour ago.  
Beast Boy scoffed and stopped dead in his path. His face was inches from Raven’s.  
“I’m not going to tell Robin what happened,” His eyes fell and he looked down at his battered sneakers. “But, ya gotta stay honest with me here Rae. Be careful.” The boy looked broken and defeated.   
A gust of wind seemed to pass right through them. It tousled the green changeling’s forest hair ever-so-slightly, and Raven was able to catch a glimpse of the small, subtle scar on his forehead from when she had broken the light bulb just seven days prior.   
Beast Boy’s concern for the empath enraged her. Even through his deepest concerns for her, she felt alone. No one, not one of the Titans, were able to tell her what exactly happened with Slade. The nightmares, the deep rooted terror she felt every time their alarms went off, stems from something. The answers were just out of her grasp, but alas her fingers barely brushed them.   
Raven felt her energy, her powers, cloak around her.   
The temperamental sorceress brushed past the green changeling, and without a second glance back, dove off of the roof towards the darkened city.  
Beast Boy followed suit and morphed into a mossy green crow- tailing the sorceress close behind. His emerald feathers were flossed by the cool night air, and he was able to feel the edge of his anxiety fly away.  
The glowing orb in the sky never seemed to falter- its fluorescent beams guided the two heroes towards the chaotic mess at the Children’s Hospital.  
Even though it was still nighttime, the red and blue flashing lights chased away most of the darkness. Four patrol cruisers sat at the entrance of the building. Their sirens echoed through the deserted streets of Jump City.   
There was a big, stocky looking man standing parallel to the front door. His broad shoulders and bald head made him easy to spot, even from fifty feet in the air.   
“Found Robin.” Raven pointed a ghostly finger towards the figure and sure enough, the leader was there, talking with the girthy man.   
“Man, I knew Robin was short,” Beast Boy cooed as he and the empath padded softly down on the sidewalk, “but he looks so tiny compared to that dude.”   
Their shoes scuffed the ground as they made their way towards the leader. The masked boy’s arms were tangled, tightly crossed against his chest and his mouth was a straight line below his pinched brows.   
“Anything new here Robin?” Beast Boy was the first to speak as he strode past Raven and towards both the men.   
The empath could practically feel the testosterone radiating from the two leaders. Robin’s ears perked as he shifted his gaze to the two heroes gliding towards them.  
“No, not yet. Information is still the same - I recommend you two start down this road here,” he nodded his head towards the building next to the hospital, “quickly scope the inside of the parking garage and see if you can find anyone or anything. If nothing’s found, do a quick sweep of the neighboring back roads and streets. He,” Robin cleared his throat, “They couldn’t have made it far.”   
Raven shuddered internally at the thought of finding Slade. She grit her teeth and broke away from the boys.  
“You got it boss” Raven heard Beast Boy’s voice trail behind her as she neared the entrance to the garage.  
The street lights and fluorescent bulbs in the garage buzzed and turned Raven’s stomach. Shadows were cast along the cement walls, and they practically danced in her peripheral vision.  
She could feel something was off, the garage felt alive with energy.   
“Hello? Anybody -”  
“Shush!” The empath hissed. “Don’t be so loud. Give me a second here Gar.”   
The sorceress closed her already heavy-lidded eyes and took a deep breath. The warm, musky air filling her lungs with a new, refreshing power.  
Beast Boy watched in awe as the sorceress began to levitate. Her hair began to twirl with an imaginary wind and her once amethyst eyes opened to show two white orbs in their place.  
“Azarath Metrion Zinthos” The girl purred.   
A black shadow appeared to radiate from her body, and formed the shape of a translucent bird. Its large wings spawned from where the sorceress’ arms were, and its head then held two white eyes as well.  
With a screech, the Raven took flight and glided through the empty car lot. Its large wings barely made a sound with each quick beat.   
Raven felt rejuvenated with every hum of her mantra. It had been over a week since she was allowed to use her physical and spiritual powers, and it was the perfect time to test them out.  
In her mind’s eye, she wistfully scanned the area. The sorceress’ powers allowed her to feel everything; the cold energy rising from the concrete ground, or the warm persistent radiation from the yellow lights.   
Beast Boy was not too thrilled at Raven’s sudden burst of vigor when it came to her powers. He allowed a small whine to escape his lips before he reached a hand to her shoulder.   
“Anything Rae?” He whispered.  
Raven’s head swiveled back and forth. Nothing.  
As her soul-self approached the very far-end of the garage, she felt a shiver physically creep up the back of her neck. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand erect, and goose bumps followed suite. Her shoulders tensed absent-mindedly.   
There was a single, metal framed door next to the staircase leading to the upper levels of the garage. The spirit bird slowed as it neared the lonely door. Through her mind’s eye Raven saw the aura surrounding the entrance. Blue hues radiated from the cold, sheets of metal. Yellow radiated from the hissing light above it.   
Frantic, red and orange energy beamed in the middle of it all.  
Raven’s breathing increased. “Found something” She barely muttered.  
The green changeling swiftly moved to the front of the sorceress, his eyes pleading with worry “Alright Raven, come back now” he sucked in a breath “I can handle this..”   
The ghost bird crept closer to the center of where the energy was radiating from.   
Her physical form swirled with anticipation as beads of sweat formed on her forehead…  
A harsh, creaking moan of metal caused the green boy’s head to turn towards the empty blackness of the parking lot. “Damn…” The changeling morphed into a large, emerald wolf and bounded towards the sound.  
Before the spirit was able to investigate any further, a red, ironclad translucent fist emerged from the door and gripped the raven by its smooth neck.  
Raven’s physical body gasped as she willed the spirit bird to fight and free itself. She could feel her physical self struggle to breathe and panic rose in her throat. The bird thrashed wildly in a vain attempt to escape.   
With perfect fluidity, the demonic-looking hand crushed the bird even tighter between its fingers and wretched the bird through the metal door and into the small room.   
“Ravennn…” A low, rumbling voice purred her name as the grip on the raven loosened.   
There was a small child curled in the fetus position cowering against the back corner of the supply room. Her brunette curls were matted to her face by sweat and tears; her eyes were hidden behind two trembling hands.   
“This is your fault you know,” The voice was soft, barely a whisper. As the raven slowed its pounding wings, the ghostly fist slowly transformed itself into the shape of a full man’s body. His right hand still gripping the raven’s neck. The man’s glowing red eye seared into the raven’s white one. He leaned his masked face close, “the more you tempt my patience, the more of yours you risk to lose...Raven” His words were like a magic spell, and in that instant the bird formed the body of a girl to which it was spawned from.  
Raven’s physical body continued to levitate in the garage. Under Slade’s new found capability, he captured Raven’s consciousness and morphed it whith her ghost-self.   
Raven’s toes were an inch from the ground. Her translucent body acted as a rag-doll’s trapped in Slade’s grasp. Her neck was still being crushed by the man, and her amethyst hair cascaded over the iron fist like a waterfall.   
“I hope this serves as your final warning Raven.” The man slowly released his hand from Raven. Each finger moved one by one, “There will be no mercy next time.”   
As his final finger removed contact from Raven’s neck, a blade appeared between his fingers.   
There was a whip of air against Raven’s face. Her ghostly feet touched the ground. There was a sickening, high pitch scream. It wasn’t Raven’s.  
-line break-  
Beast Boy pawed at the door anxiously, his nose was nudging under the slab of metal hoping to catch the smell of something, or someone. Raven! The boy whined.nThe hairs on his emerald scruff stood on end, and that’s when her heard her scream.  
Morphing into a massive gorilla, Beast Boy gripped the door handle with his now thick and callused hands and yanked hard.   
The thin, metal door came crashing down from its now broken hinges. Adrenaline coursed through the hero's veins as he returned to human from.  
“Raven!?” The boy’s voice cracked as he rushed in. The smell of iron hit him like a brick wall. Whimpering in the corner of the room was the girl with curled, brunette hair.   
His emerald eyes scanned the room, and then stopped immediately when they found the growing spot of red warmth on the girl’s stomach.   
“Oh man…” The green boy had to swallow hard before advancing, his nausea already escalated due to his rising anxiety and adrenaline.   
The boy moved forward and kneeled down next to the girl. She was slowly losing consciousness as the blood soaked through her yellow nightgown. His eyes quickly scanned the inside of the room to see if his partner was there. His heart sank a little when he saw the empty innards of the supply room. Using one hand to hold pressure down on her stomach, and the other to cradle her small form in his arms, Beast Boy carried the girl back to the hospital. He couldn’t tell if his pace was quickened because he held a bleeding girl in his arms, or if it was because Raven was nowhere to be found.


	4. Her Decision Pt. 2

Raven’s bloodshot eyes shot open just as Slade dislodged his blade from the young girl’s stomach.   
“Oh my Azar…” Raven wretched in between sobbing breaths. The sorceress wheezed as she tried to calm herself.   
She was on the ground now, her shaking knees brought close to her chest to provide some comfort. Her arms were wrapped firmly around her legs, a futile attempt to soothe herself.  
The yellow lights of the parking garage still buzzed around her, like little flies trying to crawl their way into her ears. Faint sirens from police cars whispered through the garage.  
He shouldn’t have had the ability to have that much control over me. He shouldn't…   
“Oh god…” The sorceress was practically choking on the sobs that found themselves stuck in her throat. Her eyes burned fiercely, and her neck ached from the amount of shaking her body was going through.  
Panic swirled in Raven’s stomach like a swarm of angered wasps, and she felt the nausea creep its way up to her already burning throat.  
In the distance she heard loud, grunting metal followed by Beast Boy calling her name.  
“...the more of yours you risk to loose, Raven…” Slade’s voice ebbed and pounded through her mind as she felt her heartbeat sync in rhythm with the beating in her head.   
“No…” The empath hummed, so quiet she couldn’t quite tell if the sound had actually escaped her lips. “This is my choice. I can...will...decide what happens…” On the final word Raven exhaled a deep breath. Her heartbeat became noticeably quieter, and her neck and spine relaxed considerably.   
The sorceress moved to her knees and took another deep breath.   
Inhale.   
Exhale.   
Raven’s mind turned the roaring fire into fierce fuel. Slade’s voice no longer panicked her, rather it enraged her.  
Whatever the right choice of action may be, she was sure as hell going to find out.   
She stood tall, her onyx cape draped over her shoulders with comforting security. She knew what she had to do.  
“These are my friends, and this is my city.” Her voice was dark and purred like a lion after finishing a good meal. She turned swift on her heel and made her way out from the garage.  
“I’m finishing this.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“What do you mean I can’t speak to her!? I’m the one who carried her here! She’s the only one who knows what happened to Raven!” Beast Boy’s voice was high pitched and weak. It practically cracked after every syllable.   
“They just got her into stable condition Beast Boy.” The leader’s masked eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to the green boy. “When she feels better in a couple days you can speak to her. With her mother’s permission of course.”   
Robin stood across from the green titan in the lobby of the hospital. Hushed whispers echoed through the almost vacant building. 

“She was stabbed?..Oh my god, what’s happening?....”  
“I heard it was a man in a ma-”  
“..we aren’t in danger are we?”  
“Pfft some heroes they a-”  
“What about my son?...” 

“This is crazy man! It’s like she disappeared!” Beast Boy’s voice was softer now, but his hands waved feverishly in the air to try and prove a point. “She won’t answer her freaking com! What if he took h-”  
“Beast!” Robin’s voice boomed. The leader wrapped his hand around the green boy’s arm and ushered him out of the two sliding doors. “You’re causing a lot more panic than we need right now.” Beast Boy attempted to whine and interject, but the leader wasn’t finished yet.   
“Go back to the tower. See if Raven made it back there. If not, just hang tight until I get there.”  
“Dude…”  
“Starfire and Cyborg are on their way back now. Meet them there and stay put.”   
Growling through his kanines, Beast Boy morphed into his wolf once more and darted across the street toward the tower.   
What the hell? Why doesn’t he care? This is Raven we’re talking about! This isn’t even the first time this happened! Not since…  
Beast Boy was on autopilot. His paws crushed the earth beneath him as he ran through the woods of Jump City. His mind fogged with flashbacks to the last time this happened. The whole reason why Raven was hurt to begin with. It was his fault.. Beast Boy’s paws faded into two sneakered feet pounding down an isolated alleyway…

“He took her Robin! I’m following them now..” Each breath burned the changeling’s chest. His breaths became ragged huffs and he sprinted down the sidewalk. His shadow followed close behind him, birthed from the fluorescent street lamps. “I don’t know where-”  
A high-pitched beeping noise caught the boy’s attention. His ears focused toward a garbage can near the opening of an alley.   
“Shit..” Stopping dead in his tracks the changeling morphed into a large tortoise and buried himself in his shell. The beeping stopped and in its place a loud blast echoed through the emptied streets.   
The explosion had ripped the side of the building to pieces, chunks of brick and concrete bounced off the turtle’s shell.   
A dust cloud had formed from the debris. Beast Boy shifted back into his human form and he coughed and rubbed his eyes as he ran through the plume.  
“No! Don’t…!” Raven’s voice bounced off the walls of the cold, brick buildings.  
“Raven!” Beast Boy cried. The green boy pursued further down the alley, his sneakers crushing all trash that littered the way.   
As he moved further down the alley, he noticed how dark it actually was. The moon’s glow wasn’t able to penetrate the large walls of the buildings, and the street lamps only lit the very entrance to this back path.  
Beast Boy used his thumb to click on his communicator’s flashlight function. The small beam of light barely chased away the darkness.   
“Raven…” Beast Boy’s voice faltered when a glowing red shape began to brighten. It’s red hues danced on the building’s walls.   
He couldn't seem to get his feet to move any further.   
“You decide Raven! This is your decision to make.” A man’s voice permeated from where the now fierce burning crimson came from.   
Beast Boy’s skin began to tingle, and slowly grew cold. His communicator had dropped to the ground when he was no longer able to feel his fingertips.  
“What the hell…” The changeling tried to move, but it was like he was frozen in time. His hands, feet, even his head refused to cooperate with what his brain was shouting at them to do.  
“Leave him out of this.” Raven’s smooth voice sounded like a feral growl. Slade clicked his tongue.   
“Ah dear, I don’t believe you’re in any position to give orders, are you now..?”   
Beast Boy suddenly felt his body start to move. It was like the air around him had disappeared and he slowly levitated towards the center of the darkness; where the pulsating red began.   
Beast Boy felt the sweat on his forehead turn to ice, and his breathing became sparse. He was scared.  
“Dear, Garfield…” beast shuddered as the man hummed his name. “She’d rather sacrifice herself for you, for everyone, rather than accepting my bargain….” Beast Boy was now able to see what was actually happening in the center of the darkness.  
The masked man knelt on top of Raven. His towering form crushed her from above as his knee was pressed hard against her back. One of his gloved hands was wrapped around the empath’s neck; the other was aimed at Beast Boy’s frame.  
Red, glowing marks seemed to melt through Slade’s body. His burning, crimson eye was trained on the changeling that was now in the mercy of his grasp.   
“Wouldn’t it be a pity Raven…” The empath now squirmed underneath the man’s weight. Her breathing was labored, and she could feel the small rocks slice into her purpling face. She whimpered as she felt his weight bear down on the right side of her ribs.   
Tearing his gaze from Slade’s stare, Beast Boy glanced at Raven. Her pale skin was turning a sickly purple color, and he knew he was running out of time.   
“...if you couldn’t save him?”  
Beast Boy felt as though he was in a trance. All of the oxygen was removed from within his lungs, and he felt weightless. As Slade closed his hand, Beast Boy felt himself losing consciousness.   
Stars danced across his vision, and Raven’s voice hummed in his head, “Azarath Metrion Zinthos...”  
Just as quickly as darkness overtook his vision, Beast Boy was woken up by a different masked figure.   
“Beast Boy!” The Titan leader leaned over the green changeling and shook his shoulder.  
“Wake up Sleeping Beauty,” Cyborg’s thick, sarcastic tone boomed through the alley. Comforting and familiar.  
“Where’s Raven?” The changeling shifted himself in place. He was pushing himself up from the ground as Robin answered.  
“She’s fine Beast Boy.” 

 

Beast Boy shook his head and a frustrated ‘huff’ escaped from his muzzle. ‘Fine’… Why does everyone keep saying that?  
The green boy allowed a growl erupt from his teeth as he shifted back into his human self. He was standing near the open mouth of the lake that surrounded Titans Tower.   
Scuffing a rock into the water, the boy looked up at the glowing beacon of light. The proud standing ‘T’ illuminated the water, it’s lights dancing off of the calm glass surface. The changeling lowered his head and stared at the moon mirrored on the water. Anxiety swirled around his stomach as he felt his core tighten and contract with nerves.  
With a deep intake of air, Beast Boy headed toward the tower.   
He felt his stomach drop as his eye caught the sight of one of the room’s lights turn off.   
Raven’s room. 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“Friend Raven? Are you sure you do not wish to talk? Robin said Beast Boy didn’t know wha-”  
Starfire’s voice seeped through the empath’s door like smoke. Her high pitch voice filled Raven’s room.  
“Starfire.” Raven had gotten back to the Tower before Star and Cyborg arrived. She padded quietly through the tower as to make sure there were no invisible demons hiding in the shadows to find her.   
She finished putting the final book in her knapsack as Starfire approached her door.  
“I just really need some sleep right now. I’ll talk with you tomorrow.” Raven tightened the drawstring on her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Right now, I’m going to bed. Goodnight Starfire.”  
Raven heard a small whine of disappointment from beyond her door, followed by soft footsteps disappear down the hall.  
“Okay friend. Goodnight Raven.”   
The sorceress sighed as she looked once more at herself in the mirror that hung on the back of her door. She had opted to change into more civilian clothes in order to blend in. She bore dark washed jeans (which were littered with holes), mostly covered by a long-hanging grey sweatshirt (which incidentally was one of Beast Boy’s.)   
Her mauve hair was hiding under a black beanie, go figure- another one of Beast Boy’s.  
The bag that clung to her shoulder felt uncomfortably lighter than expected - The sorceress had enchanted this bag years ago when she first came to Earth. It had an unlimited ability to hold whatever items were put in it, without adding or removing any weight to it.   
The empath stepped toward her bay window, opening it slightly. She closed her eyes as the cool, misty wind passed over her face. Her hands shook slightly with anticipation. Guilt and sadness swirled through her veins. She truly wished there was a way to fight this. But, alas, she had to go alone.   
Her mind played through everything she packed for the final time. There was no returning to grab anything forgotten.  
Her vanity mirror, some spell books and extra clothes were some of the necessities.   
Her left hand clutched the piece of paper hidden in her sweatshirt pocket. These were her final words to her team. Her family. Beast Boy.  
Stepping slightly back from the window, Raven tucked the piece of paper into the wooden frame.   
“Alright guys,” her voice was soft, but the sound seamlessly rolled off her tongue. “See ya later.”   
With a short glance back, the lights in her room turned off, and the candles she lit died out.   
Now encased in growing darkness, the sorceress ducked out of her window. Her body formed the shape of raven, and she flew through the clear sky with the moon illuminating her wings.


	5. A Slight Change of Course

The moon and all of her mysteries glowed in the speckled night sky-her pale light made the raven look like she was made from pure starlight.   
The streets of Jump City were near vacant- the normal hustle and bustle of the city felt like a distant memory to the sorceress as she flew over the deserted cityscape. All of this tranquility however, did very little to settle the anxiety and exhilaration that swarmed inside of Raven’s stomach.   
“You shouldn’t have left like that Raven…”  
“You’ve gotta find Slade and rip him to pieces with your bare han-”  
“I’m scared…”  
The voices inside the empath’s mind were reeling as her beating wings quickened in an attempt to fly away from her tsunami of thoughts.  
“What does Slade even want, huh?”  
“What do you think you can even do about it!? You’re not strong enough to even think-”  
“You should have never left Rae-”  
Cool wind brushed through Raven’s mystical feathers as she began circling around what looked like abandoned building.  
“Shut up, shut up . . .” Raven hissed as she allowed her sneakers to land on the dilapidated roof.   
Alright Raven, game plan. The empath lowered the rest of herself into a comfortable sitting position and cradled her bag in her arms; the one final thing that truly felt familiar to her.   
“You shoulda thought of that before you left, genius…”  
“What’ar’ya gonna do now, huh Rae?”   
“We gotta go find Slade! Gotta go kick his a-”  
“Meditate.” The sorceress exhaled, “You guys are driving me crazy.” Raven closed her eyes and allowed the night’s crisp air to refresh her exhausted body.   
“Azarath metrion zinthos…” She practically purred as her mind quickly and generously began to quiet. Her thoughts began to feel like flowing water, like a continuous river with no beginning or end.   
“Alright Raven, here we are. This, this is the present moment. Slade wants you to cooperate with him. This we know. We also know that the Titan’s aren’t safe until either you agree to his bargain, or destroy him for good.” The empath practically chuckled at herself...she began to sound like Robin.  
“These visions you’re having Raven, are either your fate destined to come true, or some power Slade has been able to master.” The empath scoffed out loud. “All you gotta do now is decipher what this hell-bent man actually desires, and you gotta prepare yourself for everything and anything now. Be it scavenging for new magic to use, or train your physique for better hand-to-hand combat, you must strengthen yourself . . . You’re on your own now Raven.” The empath inhaled a deep, frozen breath and willed her eyes to part ever-so-slightly. Through her tangled lashes Raven stared at her tattered sneakers and exhaled a shaky breath.   
“Alone.” 

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_

“Raven, if you don’t open the freaking door right now I swear to all things good and…”  
“Friend Beast Boy?” The changeling’s ears twitched at the high pitched sound. “Raven wishes to sleep now; she said she’s fine and that she just-” Starfire’s voice chirped over the low growling the green boy was making.   
“Are you serious dude?” The green boy whined. “Did she say she was fine or are you just guessing that she’s actually even here!? We don’t know what the heck Slade even-”  
“She said she needed sleep, Beast Boy.” Starfire’s voice became soft as she saw subtle hints of panic swirl in the boy’s eyes. “She even said she will do the talking with us tomorrow.”  
The alien girl rested her hand on her comrades’ slightly shaking shoulder.  
“You sure she said that?”   
Starfire slowly nodded her head while her eyes stayed focused on the changeling’s.   
Beast Boy let out a shaky breath. “I didn’t know if she was actually still here or not- I don’t know…”  
“Maybe you too should get the full night’s worth of sleep. We can do the ‘catching up’ tomorrow, yes?”  
“Whatever…” Beast Boy pushed the tangerine hand off of his shoulder as he began to make his way toward his bedroom. The long day he just had started to take its toll on the changeling’s body. His eyes began to grow heavier by the heartbeat and he felt his shoulders begin to sag with sleepiness. Maybe rest is just what everyone needed.  
With his trained ears, he was able catch the final sound of Starfire’s sigh as she too walked away from their friend’s bedroom.  
He was also just barely able to detect the sound of a disembodied breath behind him.  
“Beast Boy.”

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_

The morning sun had finally began to grace the day with its beauty and ceaseless warmth. The empath slowly rose to her feet after her short, but much needed rest.  
An orange glow peaked behind the towering buildings of the city and casted gracious beams of light on the pale empath’s face. She willed her eyes to close as the warmth from Jump City’s sunrise caressed her cheeks. The sorceress could almost feel her otherworldly ashen skin flush from the comforting heat, until the building below her began to shudder.   
Give me a break . . .   
As if by some cruel joke from the cosmos, a sudden bright flash and a thunderous crashing noise snapped the empath out of her reverie.   
Pure instinct guided Raven’s hands to her raise her hood, and within the same heartbeat the lone hero was gliding through the sky to inspect the inevitable disasters below.   
Erratic car horns and building alarms echoed through the streets and made the empath’s ears ring.   
“What the hell…”  
Diving closer to the streets, Raven felt the heat from multiple fires scald her skin. Explosion after explosion, the buildings and cars around her began to incinerate.   
In a feeble attempt to spot anyone, anything, the sorceress whirled her head in obscure directions.  
Parked cars began to catch fire like dominoes, and the windows of shops followed suit. Glass from windows sprayed towards the streets, and black fog began to fill the sky. The sun was slowly becoming eclipsed by the amount of smoke saturating the air.   
Touching down to the ground, Raven could feel the vibrations through the ground that were coming from the blazes.   
“Hello!? Anyone there!?” Adrenaline began to course through her veins like the fires surrounding her. Sweat began beading the empath’s forehead, and the light radiating from the buildings started to stab her eyes. The crackling of the blazing inferno filled Raven’s ears, and slowly the empath felt her mouth dry, and her lungs burn.   
Anxiety swelled in Raven’s core as the walls of flames around her grew. No matter where she looked, there were only flames and smoke. No people, no villains, no sky, no escape . . .   
“It’s a pity your friends aren’t here to help you Raven . . .” A husky voice began to echo and bounce in between each new explosion. “You must be going crazy.”  
Just as fast as the inferno started, everything went still.   
Raven choked on the clear air her body desperately needed.   
What the hell.  
Sinking to her knees, the empath kneeled in horror. The streets around her were . . .Cars were pristine, buildings were still intact. The sun still peaked behind the same buildings as before . . the city was . . . fine.


End file.
